


Holiday Baggage

by insubliminals



Category: B.A.P
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-02
Updated: 2016-01-02
Packaged: 2018-05-11 00:35:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5606986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/insubliminals/pseuds/insubliminals
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which there are lots of candy, questions, and discovered feelings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Holiday Baggage

Daehyun groaned, painfully trudging out of the bathroom in his bathrobe and setting himself down on the fresh sheets of the hotel bed. Going hiking with an overzealous brother always ended up in days of agonizing pain, lying like a corpse on whatever flat surface was available, and screaming at said brother when he threatened to pinch his burning limbs. 

The TV buzzed in the background, animated characters chattering and dancing around a certain brand of fruit flavored candy. Daehyun stared forlornly at the screen. He’d have to get up if he wanted some. 

The kids looked so happy eating the candy. 

Daehyun wanted to be happy too. 

Sighing exasperatedly at his traitorous brain, he dragged himself out of bed to change into proper clothing. Or at least put some pants on. Bringing a cap to hide his damp hair, he left a note for his brother, who went out to the downtown bar with a friend he met during the hike.  

_Out to get snacks. It’s for my sanity. -Daehyun_

There was an actual shop with all kinds of sweets a block away from the hotel, its neon lights calling out to Daehyun. Tourists bustled in the streets, children scampering around, their parents trying to keep them off the streets. Daehyun gazed longingly at the passing couples walking hand in hand, flipping up the hood of his jacket when he caught himself staring for too long. It’d been half a year since Sunhee and him last spoke. They’d broken it off with decided hearts and few regrets, though they both knew they were pretending to be stronger than they really were. She handled it better than he did. Or he liked to think so. 

Candy was always the solution though, Daehyun mused, pushing through the chiming front door of the shop. He sighed happily amidst the colors and smells of sugary sweet candy and rich chocolate. The place was small but cozy and currently only occupied by Daehyun.  

"I’m sorry, we’re just about to close –" A masked head popped out from a room behind the candy stacked counter. Setting his eyes on Daehyun, with already several packs of candy in hand, the boy raised a gloved finger. "Alright, just give me a moment."

Taking his time to go through the variety of caramel related fruits and nuts, he settled on only a few to his mouth’s dismay and his credit card’s relief.  

"Sorry about that, how can I help you?"  

The storekeeper was surprisingly young, considering his professional tone and mannerisms, and Daehyun fidgeted self-consciously in his sweatpants and unkempt hair. He was pleasantly handsome too, and Daehyun’s ego preferred avoiding situations where it was forced to entertain the idea of being outshined by good-looking boys. 

"I assume you need a bag for all that," the boy chuckled, punching in numbers into the cash register. "Party?"

Daehyun laughed in self-deprecation. "It’s just the candy, me, and my hotel room tonight."

"Oh man," the boy sighed sympathetically, handing over the card reader to Daehyun. "You know what? While you do that, I’ll get you something. Stay put. And don’t eat the whole store before I’m gone."

Daehyun grinned. "Can’t promise that."

A chuckle came from the kitchen. "How do you feel about gingerbread?"

"Pretty good."

"Dark chocolate?" 

"Not bad."

"Cookies?" 

"Of course." 

The boy hummed happily. "You’re such an easy customer," he said, coming out of the kitchen with a tray in hand. "Be my taste tester and guest of honor?"

The tray had three large gingerbread men, decorated with intricate cookie art in bright eye-catching Christmas colors, the outlines of the cookie dotted with what Daehyun assumed to be the dark chocolate. 

"These smell and look amazing."

"Thank you! I’ve been thinking of having some Christmas cookies to spice up the holiday season this year and I’m still working on the taste itself, but I need as many second opinions as I can get."

Daehyun swallowed. "They look too perfect to be eaten."

"Come on!" The boy broke off a leg and Daehyun shrieked in horror. "You’re not leaving before you give me some constructive criticism," he said, waving the gingerbread leg in Daehyun’s face. 

"Fine, but just to avoid being held prisoner by a dangerous cookie making psychopath," He joked, popping it in his mouth and humming in thought. "Maybe tone it down a little with the cinnamon? There’s a lot of chocolate on here so replacing some of it with candy would be nice. And I guess also make them a little less tough by going a little easy on the dough. I like softer cookies."

The boy raised his eyebrows, impressed. "Someone definitely knows his baking."

"Not so easy a customer am I now?" Daehyun smirked, leaning over to grab his bag of candy. 

"I like a challenge once in a while."

They stood there, smiling at each other, Daehyun with his candy and the boy with his apron and pulled down mask behind the counter, when it struck him: was the guy  _flirting_? 

His realization must have shown on his face because the boy’s open smile dropped and reverted back to a professional distance, politely ducking his head. "I’m sorry, I –"

"No, no, don’t -" Daehyun stopped him, as equally flustered, ears hot. "I was just surprised, that’s all." He laughed weakly, hoping to ease the tension. “I’ve never had a man actually....you know, directly....."

"....and I’ve never had anyone that stayed." The boy pressed his lips together, hope seeping past his voice through what Daehyun could tell was an accumulated shroud of sadness and disappointment. 

Daehyun’s brain was going on overdrive. On one hand he’d never been so directly approached by a stranger, and on the other, or  _more importantly_ , by a man. Not once had the idea of being romantically approached by someone of the same gender come to him, and he was at a complete loss for words. Which was a pretty infrequent situation. 

He swallowed. "I don’t want to get off on the wrong foot,” he started slowly, "but I also don’t want to regret anything. I haven’t quite figured out what to make of –" he waved at the space between them, " –  _this_ , what we have here, what I feel, I – I feel like an asshole, making it about me, when you clearly deserve better, I don’t even know your  _name_  -" 

The boy reached over, hand wavering a little before settling down on Daehyun’s shoulder. "It’s Youngjae. And I’m sorry for making you freak out, honestly, I never wanted it to be like this and I’m totally fine if you want to just.... leave." The resolution in his voice broke Daehyun’s heart even more.  

"But I don’t." The words came out of him before he even realized he said them. They resonated heavily in the silence that followed. Daehyun’s heartbeat roared in his ears.  

"Would – would it be selfish of me if I asked for your company tonight, not as a date?" God, that was the worst question he’d ever asked.  

"Maybe," Youngjae said, breathless, "maybe. But I don’t have any plans tonight." Daehyun sagged in relief. "I’ll just close up and we’ll be on our way." Youngjae grabbed the tray of cookies and disappeared back into the kitchen. 

Breathing in and out through his mouth, Daehyun set the bag down on a nearby table and quickly hand combed his hair into something more decent. What kind of shitstorm did he get himself in, he thought frantically. He was certain that feelings weren’t going to be perfectly unscathed by the end of the night. And it’d be all because of him and his own doing, dragging some innocent person down with him. 

"All set," Youngjae announced cheerfully, locking the kitchen door. He handed Daehyun a small plastic container. "For your cookies, missing a leg." He was dressed in a sweater and jeans, and Daehyun felt closer to him in age, relaxing slightly. If Youngjae was making an effort to move on from the nerve-wracking conversation they just had, Daehyun couldn’t do any less. 

"Thanks, Youngjae."

Then he was being pushed out of the store, strong hands on his back. "Let’s go!" Youngjae yelled animatedly, shutting and locking his tinkling door. "I’m craving for pizza, and you’re coming with me."

"Pizza? How can I refuse?" 

They ended up in a small, homey pizza place wafting with warm, delicious smells, their table a small wooden one for two. His feet knocked softly against Youngjae's. 

"So I'm guessing you're on holiday? What are your plans?" Youngjae's eyes twinkled from the candles lining the wall.  

"My brother and I just got back from hiking the mountain trail behind the hotel nearby, and we're off to do some sightseeing a little farther north."  

"You don't seem very happy about it?" Daehyun grimaced at Youngjae's question.  

"Not quite when you have a brother who thinks it's humanely possible to complete a week long schedule in four days." 

"If your brother's still up for suggestions, I can give you guys a few. Since I live here and all. You don't get this body by making sweets." Youngjae leaned back in his chair, stretching pointedly with a playful smirk. 

Daehyun's imagination threatened to find out what was under that sweater for the rest of the night. 

Youngjae was an incredibly insightful person, probably owing to his business which he inherited from his uncle. Listening to him talk, someone so close to his age yet so wise, entranced him and Daehyun absorbed himself in the way Youngjae spoke, the way he thought, a person so much more than what he showed to the world. He felt like he could tell Youngjae the deepest, darkest secrets or open up every inch of himself and he would still accept him, adore him, and never let him feel alone.  

"Daehyun?" 

He blinked out of his trance. Youngjae's eyebrows were furrowed, worry etched on his face.  

"Sorry, thinking." He cleared his throat. "You don't have to answer this," he started, but he knew Youngjae would no matter what he said, "but why? You knew I would leave eventually and we may never see each other again, and you still agreed to spend time with me. Aren't you afraid?" 

 "Terrified," laughed Youngjae, running a hand through his hair. "Not every handsome boy that walks into my store is single, available, and sympathetic enough to have dinner with me." 

Daehyun frowned. "I don't pity you." 

"I know. You’ve given me enough reason to believe that." 

Daehyun touched Youngjae’s hand, warmth spreading in his chest. 

A waitress interrupted them, looking slightly apologetic when she saw their hands but gave them a knowing smile when they asked her for the bill.  

"I’ll walk you back to your hotel," offered Youngjae when they left the restaurant. "I know a shortcut."

He led Daehyun into an alley, the two walking in a comfortable silence, twisting and turning until they reached what Daehyun assumed as the back door of the hotel.  

"I almost thought I was being led into a trap by some kidnapping stranger," Daehyun teased.  

"Wouldn’t be the craziest thing that’s happened tonight." Youngjae batted a hand at the bag of sweets dangling from Daehyun’s arm. 

"Here, give me your phone." Typing his name and his number, he made sure to double check and pressed it back into Youngjae’s hand. "If you ever come to Busan, you know how to contact me."

Youngjae smiled down at his phone, then enveloped Daehyun in a tight hug. Feeling the rise and fall of his chest, Daehyun melted into him, burying his face into his sweater. He smelled like the faintest tinge of oven baked pizza and caramel and Daehyun couldn’t get enough. 

"I guess it’s goodbye for now," murmured Youngjae, his cheek on Daehyun’s shoulder. 

"Yeah." 

Daehyun walked back into the quiet lobby of the hotel, the loss of a gentle warmth leaving him a little emptier than before.  

"Oh, Daehyun, you went out?”"

His brother had just entered through the front entrance  when Daehyun realized it was already well past midnight. 

"Hyung. Yeah, I went out for some food with someone."

"New friend?"

Daehyun’s lips tugged upward, candy bag knocking against his leg. "You could say that."

 

Couple months later, he received a text from an unknown number. 

_Your feedback has been taken into consideration. Looking for a taste tester for an amateur pastry chef. Interested?_

Daehyun couldn’t be more certain. 

_Sign me up._

 

**Author's Note:**

> i'm absolutely terrible at characterization seriously who allowed me to write.  
> on another note, first post on ao3! happy holidays all!


End file.
